A Comparison Between Santoprene TPV and Neoprene

People who would like to use synthetic rubber in their manufacturing processes often have to choose between Santoprene TPV (thermoplastic vulcanisate) and Neoprene. This article compares those two materials using various parameters. Use this information to select the most appropriate material for your application.

Temperature Resistance

Santoprene TPV is often preferred for making products that will be exposed to high operating temperatures. This is because this material can remain chemically stable in the face of those high temperatures. Neoprene doesn't display the same degree of temperature resistance. Consequently, you should avoid selecting it in case your processes or products will expose the material to temperature extremes.

Abrasion Resistance

Neoprene offers moderate resistance to abrasion when it is used to make something that will be exposed to dynamic abrasive forces, such as the forces that are encountered by the shock absorbers of vehicles. Santoprene TPV again comes out as a superior material to Neoprene because Santoprene TPV exhibits very good performance in abrasive applications. It will hardly develop any fatigue wear resulting from abrasion.

Chemical Resistance

Both Neoprene and Santoprene TPV exhibit a high degree of chemical resistance. However, some differences can be witnessed when you compare these synthetic rubbers in terms of their resistance to specific chemicals. For example, Neoprene will be destroyed by exposure to sulphuric acid while Santoprene TPV will not easily succumb to that chemical. Conversely, Santoprene exhibits a poor performance against grease and oil while Neoprene fares better in the face of these substances. Both forms of synthetic rubber are resistant to oxidation and UV radiation.

Durability and Flexibility

Neoprene is less flexible than Santoprene TPV. Santoprene TPV scores more when the materials are compared in terms of their durability. Thus, you may want to reconsider using Neoprene in case your application will require that material to be flexible and durable.

Recycling

Neoprene tends to behave like natural rubber while Santoprene TPV behaves like thermoplastics. This makes recycling these materials different. Santoprene TPV is better for applications that generate plenty of wastes because the scraps can be collected and used in the making of the subsequent batch of products. Neoprene is better suited to applications that generate less waste because recycling it is more complicated.

As you can see, each of those synthetic rubber materials has shortcomings and points of strength that make each material better suited for a different set of applications. Talk to an expert about your requirements so that he or she can help you to select the best synthetic rubber to use in your facility.

Share